Women ages 16 to 24 experience rape at rates four times higher than the assault rate of all women

Up to 10 percent of acquaintance rape victims on campus are men

Approximately 2/3 of assaults are committed by someone known to the victim.

Fairmont State University's goal is to prevent any type of sexual assault on our campus. Sexual assault is a growing serious public health problem with notably high rates among college students. National statistics indicate that a large percentage of women as well as men are likely to experience sexual violence of some sort. We do not tolerate violence of any kind on our campus. This website provides information and resources specific to stalking, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, drug facilitated sexual violence, dating and domestic violence, and rape. We also provide a list of resources and strategies on how to support your friend(s) or any victim/survivor of sexual assault. Sexual assault includes the following:

What to do if you (or a friend) have experienced sexually based violence and you are a student (whether the incident took place on or off campus)

There are a number of options for you – first and foremost take care of yourself:

Seek medical attention at a facility that has a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program (currently UHC is the closest facility – campus police will give you a ride without asking questions). A rape kit will be completed by a trained professional and stored, in case you want to press charges at any future point. Do not shower or wash your clothes if possible.

Seek support – either from professionals (Campus Counseling M-F 8-4, local Rape Crisis Center – 24 hrs. a day), friends, or family. You can seek support from staff, but know that depending on who you confide in has an impact on how things will proceed.

Make a decision of whom to report the event:

Campus Counseling, campus Health Services, and any clergy associated with campus - staff in these offices/organozations will keep any information you share absolutely confidential.

Faculty, staff, residence life staff (RDs, RAs, Monitors) and any student workers are MANDATORY Title IX REPORTERS (not reporting can result in legal consequence including loss of employment). Title IX (learn the basics) is the federal law that requires the institution to work towards a safe environment for all. The Title IX coordinator or her designee will investigate the event and offer you a number of options on how to get through this difficult time (e.g. changing schedules, housing arrangements etc.). The investigator will speak to all involved while maintaining the highest level of privacy for you. You will be informed of the outcome of the investigation. The purpose is to protect not only you, but also any potential future victims on campus.

Campus Police - will collaborate with the Title IX investigators and also potentially investigate the incident from a criminal standpoint. You have three options in working with Campus Police (please report any incident to campus police even if it occurred off campus and may have already been reported to local authorities):

File an information only report (if you do not wish to press any charges, but want us to know what happened so we can be on alert).

File a partial report that could be used in the future for an investigation if you decide to pursue criminal charges (check on statute of limitations)

File a full report which will trigger a full criminal investigation.

Campus judicial affairs – will act upon information obtained from law enforcement, student witnesses, victim, or alleged perpetrator. This entity will determine whether any policies and rules were violated and will determine appropriate sanctions from a student conduct standpoint (see Student Conduct Code for more information including possible sanction)

Local Police (Fairmont City) - will investigate from a criminal perspective.

What can I expect once I report an incident of sexual violence?

If you have reported the incident to either counseling or health services you will be offered continued health and emotional support wither on campus or by referral to appropriate community resources. No investigation will be prompted.

If you report the incident to any other person on campus:

You will be asked about the event and to share details. Recognizing that it can be very difficult to speak about a possible traumatic event, we strive to minimize the number of people you are asked to share your account with.

You will be provided with information about options and resources that might help in decreasing any negative long-term effects from the incident of sexual violence.

The incident will be investigated by appropriately trained personnel (judicial affairs, title IX coordinator, and campus police).

Once you have reported the incident, the institution is obligated to proceed with the investigation to protect you and other students. You do not have to file criminal charges.

Prevention:

All incoming FSU students are required to complete Sexual Assault Prevention training - students will receive an email from Safe Colleges during the month of October with instructions to set up their account. In addition to the required course, a number of additional student courses are available.

CARE Team (committee to address behavior of concern to promote a safe and healthy campus environment)

Sexual Harassment

If know a student who believes he/she has been subjected to (1) sexual harassment by institutional faculty or staff; or (2) any other form of gender discrimination under Title IX, the student may report such misconduct or file a formal complaint with the Title IX Coordinator. Complaints must be submitted in writing not more than 300 days after the incident(s) in question. For good cause and at the Coordinator’s discretion, HR, HHH EOP may waive the writing requirement or the 300 day time limitation. The entire complaint procedure and complaint form can be found on the Title IX web pages at http://www.fairmontstate.edu/adminfiscalaffairs/human-resources.

If you know a student who believes he/she has been the victim of sexual harassment, including sexual assault, sexual violence or other sexual misconduct, by another student, you may report such conduct or file a complaint under Title IX with the Title IX Coordinator for adjudication by Student Judicial Affairs, which addresses complaints of student sexual misconduct.

Tell them you are sorry this happened and because you are concerned, it is important for you to share this information with the Title IX coordinator so that campus can ensure safety for the individual and the campus community

Provide non-judgmental support such as “I believe you, you are not to blame, how can I help?

Don’t ask for details – good intentions may be experienced as intrusion

Avoid telling the student what they “should” or “must” do

Avoid making statements or ask questions that unintentionally imply victim-blaming (e.g. “how much were you drinking?)

Keep in mind that reactions and behaviors following a traumatic experience vary greatly - avoid making judgments based on these.

Connect the person with resources:

Share on and off campus resources

Offer to call health services, counseling services, or HOPE for confidential support

Let the person know that you will keep this private, and will only share this information with the Title IX Coordinator (or one of the Deputy Coordinators) who will contact them. The Title IX coordinator is Cindy Curry who can be reached at 304-367-4386 or cindy.curry@fairmontstate.edu .